The Society Girl and the Alien Cager
by Catheryne
Summary: Old fic. AU's M&M. Maria is a high society girl and Michael is a playboy star basketball player, the captain of the New Mexico Aliens.


General Note: This story was in progress as of June 2003, and was archived in my board. I recently learned that my archive was deleted, so I am backing this story up in ffnet, the most reliable location of my fanfiction. This was left unfinished ten years ago, and I have no immediate plans of completing.

**The Society Girl and the Alien Cager**

By Catheryne

Author's Note: This is another of my finger fictions. It's light to some degree with just a little bit of angst (say Michael's insecurities in Maria, Maria! and Maria's fears in Oh My Michael!). With that in mind, let me introduce this particular AU's M&M. Maria is a high society girl and Michael is a playboy star basketball player, the captain of the New Mexico Aliens. As always, have fun!

Part 1

SOCIETY

DeLuca-Evans Engagement Dinner Tonight

The ritzy Ferreira Hotel's Tropical Ballroom is the venue of one of the most awaited parties of New Mexico's finest. Oil magnate Nate De Luca and his first wife, now Congressman's wife, Mrs. Amelia Valenti, will be announcing their only daughter Maria's engagement to Mr. Maxwell Evans, son of old family friends Mr. And Mrs. Philip Evans. The Evans, partners and founders of the biggest law firm in the state, have handled De Luca Oil's business for more than two decades.

It is expected that the country's foremost businessmen and politicians will be in attendance at this formidable gathering to celebrate the love shared by the two since college. Pictures from the very chic and private affair will be published tomorrow.

"Can you ask for this in beige, Lizzie?" Maria De Luca, heiress, handed the shoe to her assistant, who promptly told the sales assistant what size Maria wanted. Liz then settled back in the cushions, waiting for the order to arrive.

Tess, Maria's longtime friend, frowned at the shoe on her foot, and glanced up at another sales assistant. "Does it make my foot look huge?" The salesperson shook her head. Tess put the other one on, stood up and looked at her feet in the mirror. And then she plopped back down on the seat. "I'll take this in pale blue, mud brown and black raincoat."

The girl nodded and hurried to box Tess' new shoes. Maria's sales assistant arrived bearing the pair of shoes. "Okay, Lizzie, try it on."

Liz took the shoes and slipped them on her feet. "Looking good!"

"Are you comfortable?" Maria asked.

Liz walked on them for a few seconds, twirled, mock danced and nodded. "I don't think it will blister."

"Plus, it goes well with the gown you're wearing tonight. So you think that's it, or do you want to look for something else?"

"I like this already. My feet hurt from walking already," Liz complained.

Maria grinned at her assistant. "Fine. We'll go get some coffee and then we're done." She looked around for her friend and saw her signing her name on her credit slip. "Hey Tessie, we're going for some rhumba frap."

Tess waved her pen in agreement.

Maria took the box from Liz and gave it to the salesperson with her card. "Hey I'm paying for that," Liz protested. "It's mine."

Maria arched her eyebrow at Liz. "I know how much you make, Lizzie. And besides, it's part of your allowance. You're wearing it to my party anyway."

A few minutes later, they exited the store bearing three pairs of shoes for Tess, one pair for Liz and another for Maria. On the way to Starbucks, Maria's cellphone rang. Liz took it from her purse and answered. "Oh hey Max!" Maria's eyes widened and she shook her head violently, making flying gestures with her hands. Liz winked. "She's not available at the moment. I know I won't have her phone if we're not together. Yeah yeah I know, Max. Okay. I'll tell her."

Tess started giggling at the relieved look on Maria's face. "What did he want now?" she inquired.

Liz smirked. "He still doesn't trust in my assistant capabilities. He said to remind you that your engagement dinner is tonight at the Ferreira."

Tess must have found that weird, because she burst out laughing. "Wh-what kind of—fiance—reminds—reminds the other one that they're—getting officially-engaged later?" she managed in between bursts of hilarity. "Your marriage is gonna be totally screwed!"

Chuckling at the amusement with which her friend took the simple call, Maria grabbed the two by their elbows and dragged them into the coffee shop for much needed (well except for Tess) sugar rush.

"And the player of the game," the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, "is none other than… the Alien Captain himself… Michael Guerin!"

Screaming fans stood from their seats, applauding as the player jogged to the center of the court to wave to the audience. Every time the New Mexico Aliens played, the dome was packed with spectators who knew less than nothing about basketball except for the fact that the captain ball of the Aliens was one hot, sweaty, sexy, athletic, handsome… and talented (but that was the least of it) number 1.

The female yells were piercing. Michael shook the hand of the television interviewer as he answered the requisite questions about his play. "Well you know, I just do what's best for the team."

"Something tells me you're not the type who works best with teams. But here you are, leading the team to victory."

"Bitch!" someone screamed at the interviewer. The reporter plainly had the hots of Michael Guerin, and was flirting with the questions and comments.

Michael raised his hand to calm the fans, and the women swooned in response. "I might not be a team player outside, but in the court I'm all for the game. What's best for the game is if I play for my team, and that's what I do, Angie."

The reporter blushed at Michael's use of her name. "Any words for your adoring fanbase? You must be the only athlete alive with that kind of following."

Michael raised his hand to his lips and blew them a kiss, much to the crowd's delight. "That's it."

He raced back to the lockers and took a quick shower. Isabel was waiting for him outside to drive him home since he accidentally rammed his Jag into the bumper of the arrogant jerk who cut him in the road last night. It was a huge bother for her to come all the way here to pick him up. Her job made her one of the busiest people he knew, so he had to hurry.

Michael passed through the back exit where Isabel was supposed to wait for him. What met him was a multitude of screaming and hysterical high school girls to housewives asking for his autograph. He craned his neck to see where Isabel could be. He started chatting and signing for some of the fans.

"Excuse me, girls!" The voice was loud enough to be heard through the noise, and the fans complained as Isabel pushed her way through them and started pulling Michael away.

"One, two, three," he counted, and the two of them ran to the parking lot, jumped into Isabel's convertible. "Gas, gas!"

Isabel pressed hard and the car zoomed away, leaving crestfallen fans cursing Isabel for her interruption. Relieved, Michael kissed Isabel hand while she held onto the steering wheel with another. "Thanks."

"There are benefits to being the only ex you keep in contact with," she teased him. "I get to be hexed by those witches you call admirers. I better get one hell of a Christmas present for this!"

NEW MEXICO INFORMER

Alien Guerin in Parking Lot Chase

Look who's outrunning girls? Captain ball of the New Mexico Aliens and an unknown lady friend are seen running from fans after last night's basketball game. Did the known hothead pick the beauty off of the crowd or was she an earlier appointment? Whatever's the answer, the two seemed unable to wait for bed any longer!

Part 2

[center]SOCIETY

Gorgeous couple. Maria De Luca with fiancé Max Evans toasting their engagement.

Family Friends. Tess Harding and Sean De Luca seen with Maria's assistant Elizabeth.

Philip Evans dancing the night away with Amelia Valenti.

Congressman Jim Valenti in deep conversation with son, basketball player for the New Mexico Aliens Kyle.[/center]

Max folded the paper in two and handed it to his fiancé, who was curled up in the couch of her apartment. And then, he lifted her legs onto his lap and settled at the end of the couch. He flipped on the television and surfed channels.

"Elizabeth!" Maria chuckled. "Liz is going to be so irritated."

"Yeah." Max grinned, absently rubbing her ankles. "Did you see that candid of my dad and your mom?"

"Let's hope he doesn't become mom's third husband or all goes to hell!"

"My mom won't even kill yours because of the "hoopla" it's going to bring down."

Finally, he watched the replay of yesterday's game. Maria, who had never been too fond of the sport, grimaced. If Max was going to be watching a ball game, he should have done so at home. There was a rerun of Sex and the City in a few minutes. She was about to tell him off when the camera panned the court and settled on the focused face of one of the players. Maria almost fell off the couch in her haste to sit up. "Who's that?"

Satisfied that his fiancé was finally developing an interest in basketball, Max threw his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. "That's Guerin. He's the captain ball, and one hell of a player."

"Wow," Maria whispered.

Max nodded. "Wow indeed." He supposed that Maria was enthralled with how Michael Guerin handled that last lay up and managed to save the ball and rebound within seconds.

"What team is that?"

He glanced at her in confusion. He knew that she wasn't a fan, but that was kind of simple not to know. "That's our state team, Mia," he told her. "The New Mexico Aliens."

She nodded and leaned forward, trying to catch another glimpse of the player. "This is Kyle's team?"

"Yes."

"I think I should maybe get tickets for a game."

"How about Saturday?"

"How about Thursday?" Maria countered.

"You know I have exams on Thursday. Actually I have exams on Thursday and Friday. "

"Thursday then! Sorry you can't come."

Max chuckled good-naturedly and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Fine. Be like that!" He stood up from his seat and grabbed his phone from the coffee table. "Now I better go and do something related to that exam. Like maybe study? Because your dad expects me to graduate with honors," he teased.

"Like your dad doesn't."

"Let's just say expectations rose to the extreme since it's official." He took her hand in his and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "When's Liz getting here?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't you call her? And tell her I need milk bath."

They turned their heads at the sounds from the door. Max shrugged his shoulders and said, "Let's hope she was a good little assistant and knew what you needed before you did."

The door swung open to reveal Liz in her brown coat. She carried the brown paper bag inside and waved at Max. "Hey Maria, I got you some new lavender oils. And I hope you don't mind. I got a big bottle of your favorite milk bath. You were running low."

"Oh!" Maria squealed and hugged her friend. "You're the best. And Max was just leaving. Would you mind walking him out?"

Liz shook her head. "Come on, lover boy."

"I'm a big boy, girls. I can walk myself out." Max walked to his fiancé and drew her into his arms. "I love you."

"I know, Max. You know I love you."

He turned to Liz and smiled fondly at her. "And I love you, Liz." He walked over to her, and she raised her arms and laid them across his back for his embrace. Max lifted her up so her lips would reach his.

"Love you, Max."

She closed the door after him and gave Maria a lopsided smile. "Did anyone already mention how sick this arrangement is?"

Maria settled back down on the couch, grinning. "Yeah but it's all we have. Okay, forget about little lawyer for a bit and be my assistant again." Liz sat in front of Maria, all ears. "So I know you talk to Kyle Valenti a lot."

"Kyle… basketball player Kyle?"

"Uhuh. You have to call him. I need a favor."

"But he's your stepbrother!"

Maria shook her head. "Like we talk. Besides, you're closer to him than I am." She frowned.

Liz grinned. "Probably because of that entire grade school and high school bonding thing while you and your fiance were off being all uniformed private school kids," she teased.

"Wait a minute. Why are you questioning me with this chore? You're my PA!"

Liz unzipped her bag and removed her Palm pilot. She slipped on her glasses and sat primly, like a good secretary. "What do you need?"

Maria's lips curved into a naughty smile. "I need you to get schedules of their practice, and whatever place else I can accidentally run to Michael Guerin."

Liz's jaw dropped. "Alien Captain Guerin?!"

"That's what they call him? How fitting!" She remembered that one shot as he focused on the play. He seemed so distant from what he was doing, but that was as far from the truth as can be. He was so intent on what he was doing that he was apart from his body almost. Those guys who thought deep were totally the best lovers, not that she would know. It wasn't as if she had any boyfriend before Max, and the prospect of any experience with Max was just eeky.

"You have a crush on Michael Guerin?" Liz demanded.

Maria took her friend's hand in hers and said softly, "You know what I've always been telling you I deserve?" Liz nodded. "Well I think this is it."

"And the plan?"

"I think he's perfect for it. Don't you? I just bet his Alien Captain sperm is up for the job."

Liz was uncomfortable with what Maria was planning. Especially the part where Michael Guerin wouldn't really know what Maria's primary purpose was in all this. Whether or not she succeeded, Liz knew that shit was going to hit the fan. And when she said shit, she meant the amount you found in farms. And when she said fan, she meant the huge blowing fans you saw in windy themed photo shoots. Yep, that was one big messy shitty… There _was_ a point somewhere.

[center]SPORTS

NM Aliens Battle NY Rockstars Today

Defending champions of the hardcourt, the New Mexico Aliens, led by team captain Michael Guerin, face off with one of their strongest opponents this season the New York Rockstars led by the new captain Billy Darden.

Followers of the sport are impatient to see how Guerin deals with Darden's now famous dirty tactics during the game. Darden, an imported draftee from Australia four years ago, averages three personal fouls per game and has caused severe injuries to at least two professional players since the start of the season. Already fined and suspended, Darden returns despite other team coaches' protests.

Who wins when playboy meets the badboy?[/center]

"I cannot believe we're doing this!" Tess giggled as they walked to their seats wearing their 'regular people' clothes. She still chafed a bit wearing the thirty-dollar denim pants and simple non-label shirt.

Liz bit her lip and shook her head. Tess' clothes were everyday to her where to Tess they were already exciting and new… come aboard, we're expecting you. Ummm… "You're enjoying yourself."

Maria grabbed their hands and jerked her chin towards the players warming up. There, in his athletic glory, on the free throw line, stood Michael Guerin. His chiseled features were stark as the lights hit his face. Muscles on his trim arms rippled as he raised them to shoot the ball. Tess looked on in awe. She had to give Maria credit. The man was prime white slavery material—the type of person you wanted to chain to bed and provide pleasure to the rest of your healthy life.

The ball went ringless, straight down the net. Maria jumped from her seat and applauded. The other early members of the audience glanced at her as though she was deranged.

Liz pulled her down. "Maria, you don't applaud warm up shots."

"How would I know that?" she demanded furiously. "It's my first time actually watching a game."

Tess giggled again. The girl really had to be drained of sugar to remove the perpetual state of bliss. "Oh look, there's your friend Kyle Valenti!" Tess waved at the player. "Kyle! Kyle!"

Kyle raised his head and saw the three beautiful ladies seated ringside. He sauntered over and nodded. "Lizzie baby, when you said you were bringing friends to watch, I didn't know you called down an angel from heaven! Not you, Maria."

Maria reached out and hit her stepbrother. "Be thankful I came to your game, buster. As if you've not whined enough that no one in the family is supporting your sport."

"Smooth, Valenti," was the brunette's answer. "This is Tess."

Tess extended her hand, which the player enclosed in his own. "Pleasure meeting you," he said graciously, shaking their hands. "It's rare to find lovely people here, or even people other than huge men who have a thousand bucks wagered that we're going to win."

"How can you be so sure I didn't wager anything on you?" Tess parried.

Kyle cocked his head to the side. "You didn't, did you?"

"No." Again the giggle.

"Hey Valenti, you gonna get your ass to practice or not? Because your outside shooting sure as hell isn't improving chatting there and I can caount ten things wrong with your rebounding that aren't helping the team get points," Michael barked, striding over to the girls who were throwing the concentration of one of his teammates.

Kyle smirked at the girls. "I'll see you after the game, okay?" He turned around to face Michael, who at the moment lost the glazed game look in his eyes as they rested on Maria.

"Hi." Maria extended her hand towards Michael. "I'm sorry for keeping Kyle."

Michael shook Maria's hand, seeming fazed by the soft skin. "I'm Guerin."

"I know, Michael," she said warmly. "So ummm… you better get back to practice."

Michael nodded and took Kyle by the arm. They were halfway back to the free throw line, when Michael pushed Kyle forward to take the ball and he started walking back to the girls. "Listen. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to spend some time together."

Maria broke into a huge smile. "When?"

"How about Friday?"

Oh heaven smiles on me. That was Max's big exam. "I would love to, Michael. Great. So details later after the game?" Maria nodded and waved her fingers at his retreating butt.

He caught the ball passed to him and the moment he stepped in front of the ring, the focus went back into his face, and she thought he had already forgotten all about her. But then Michael looked directly at Maria and mouthed, "For you."

The ball fell directly through the ring in one fell swoop, and Maria shuddered and bit her lip.

"Your plan is falling into place!"

Maria blinked at Tess. Plan? Oh yeah. "Ummm… yeah, the plan," she murmured.

[center]SOCIETY

De Luca Heiress in Benefit Game

Most everyone in society were not aware of the cancer benefit last night at the Astrodome, where profits from the Aliens vs Rockstars playoffs are donated to the Cancer Victims' Foundation. The benefit, which was not advertised as well as should have been, raised money for research and patient care.

Ms. Maria De Luca, daughter of oil magnate Nate De Luca and fiancé of Maxwell Evans, son of Evans, Evans and Associates, proved that she was a true friend to charitable institutions in her show of support by personally attending the game. [/center]

Part 3

After helping Maria get ready for her big date, and asking her at least twenty times if she was absolutely sure that she wanted to move forward with the plan, Liz went home to her small studio apartment and curled on the couch.

She flipped on the channels, trying to find a show that would distract her from all her worries. When she and Maria concocted the plan, it seemed so perfect. All of them would get what they wanted, and nobody got hurt. It was easy to not think about the guy they would inevitably involve, because he was nonexistent when they cooked it up. But now, with a flesh and blood male specimen available, Liz saw the way Maria faltered before finally saying yes.

Liz sighed and put down the remote. There was no way she was going to be able to concentrate on a particular show when a plan that seemed so funny and practical then was turning out to be so complicated now.

Instead, she picked up a copy of Hallucinating Foucault from the rack under the coffee table. She opened to the page she had folded earlier. When she looked down at the letters, they swam before her eyes. She threw the book on top of the table and rolled her eyes. Guilt was not a good nighttime companion.

The doorbell rang, and she sat up. She was not expecting visitors tonight. Liz ran up to the door and peered outside. Shocked to see him, she pulled the door open and placed her arms akimbo.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to have an exam," she told him.

Max grinned. "That's what I told Maria."

Liz chuckled. "You lied?"

"Would I lie to my fiancé?" Liz arched her eyebrow. "Fine. It was a small lie. I had the five minute quiz earlier and went up here to celebrate."

"Celebrate what, Max?"

He stepped into the apartment and placed his hands over hers on her waist. He dropped his head to catch her lips. "I got ten over ten."

Liz threw her head back and let his mouth run freely over the skin of her neck. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "Congratulations." She pulled him with her to the bedroom, but not before getting him to kick the door shut.

She sure hoped Maria was having as much fun as she was.

"I can't believe I agreed to this!"

Michael smirked as he led the blindfolded young woman into the dark, echoing dome. It hadn't been too hard to get the place tonight. There were no games the afternoon before. And he had a lot of pull from the high places. He had asked Jerry, the head of the janitorial staff, to stay a bit later to open it up for him.

He had thought long and hard about where to take Maria. His first idea was to blow her away by taking her to the most exclusive New Mexico restaurants, wine her and dine her the way he did with all his other dates. But somehow he thought that it wouldn't impress her too much.

Earlier, when he found out that the new player Valenti knew her, he had asked him the specifics. But the man just kept mum about what Maria probably liked and disliked, or where she'd been before. That was already a surprise to Michael. He hadn't exactly been friendly to Valenti, so he thought that the kid would take the chance to get into his good graces. Who wouldn't blame him anyway? He was pretty sure the management brought Valenti in as possible replacement in the event that Michael was injured or suspended. Any self-respecting captain ball would be threatened—no, no, not threatened! Michael Guerin never got threatened. Insulted maybe. Not threatened.

"What, don't tell me you don't like surprises," he murmured against her ear in the sexiest voice he could muster, keeping himself from choking out the words with the way her ass rubbed against him as she blindly walked.

"Surprises are fine from friends, Michael. But not when you're blindfolded by a guy you just met."

"I'm offended. You don't trust me?"

Maria smiled and allowed him to lead her forward. She was dying to know where they were. From the coldness of the air, she suspected that they were nowhere near a decent commercial establishment, which was fine with her. She really didn't need a snoopy photographer taking shots of her unacceptable dating outside the general area of her fiancé. The way their voices echoes assured her that they were indoors. But why was the floor so hard?

"So where are we?"

"You'll find out." Michael placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her. And then, he untied her blindfold and let it drop down the hardwood. "Welcome to the place where we first met!"

Maria turned clockwise slowly, surveying the empty basketball court. Dim spotlights were trained on them at the center of the court. She saw a man in janitor's uniform wave to Michael before leaving. She bit her lower lip. She was wearing a little light blue dress that stopped midway down her thighs, designed and chosen specifically to seduce the guy, and he brought her to his workplace. He was dribbling now, and Maria felt a red flush stain her cheeks. "All the restaurants were full?" she said lightly, trying not to lose her cool.

"Do you actually think that that would stop me if I wanted to take you to dinner?"

She shook her head. Michael Guerin was pretty popular in the country, being a top athlete and all. Of course, that wouldn't have stopped her either. But Guerin's name had more pull to a vast majority of people than De Luca, because her family stayed in a tight and closed cirle. "So you actually expect me to play ball, not that I even know how to, in my dress?"

"Do I look stupid?" he grinned. Walking to the chairs where she spotted two gym bags and a cooler, he picked up some articles of clothing and tossed them at her. "Change."

Maria grimaced as she held up the cotton shorts and workout shirt. "I'm guessing these aren't yours." The clothes were too small and feminine for him. If they were his, she's have run away. And if they weren't, then whose were they? And why would he keep them? When he shook his head, Maria looked at the tag. "Isabel."

"Ex."

"Your ex stitches her name on her clothes?"

Michael waved her off, and Maria motioned for him to turn around. And then she put on the shorts before slipping of her dress. She pulled the shirt over her head. She was going to play ball on a first date.

Maria fell onto her back on the hard floor. She was laughing so hard and sweating. She was sweating. On a date. With a guy she wanted to get it on with as soon as possible. It was awful it was funny. The ball rolled towards her and stopped when it hit her hip.

"Get up, lazybones!"

Maria glared at Michael and stuck her tongue out. "Unlike you, Guerin, I don't do this every day of my life. I'm all out!"

Michael ambled over and sat cross-legged beside her. "So what do you do everyday?"

She turned her head and gazed at him, the words forming on her lips before she swallowed them back. What was she going to say? I sit around waiting for my fiancé to call and talk about the preparations for the wedding? I withdraw my allowance and attend benefits and parties? I try to live as clean a life as possible so I don't ruin the Evans and the Deluca name? After spending just a few hours with him, she really wanted to give him a good impression. Actually, now that she was forced to think about it that way, she really had to do something real. "I… help… people," she stammered.

"You help people? You sound like a cheesy WB heroine." She laughed and extended her hands to him so he could pull her up. Instead, he closed his hands on her waist and straddled her thighs. "Hey that's sexy. I'd like to see you in one of those sci fi fantasy costumes."

"Kinky," Maria mumbled, helping him settle over her and meeting his lips. "I might consider that if you'll dress up for me too."

"We'll go to a costume store as soon as we're done here," he promised.

Maria deepened the kiss, burying her fingers in his hair and pulling him close. Her fingers searched for the bottoms of his shirt, and started jerking it off.

"Wait." Maria almost groaned to herself. Right. He wants to wait. She can't afford to wait! The wedding invitations were going out next week! She pushed him off her and he landed on the hard floor with a thud. Maria winced. That was an unfortunate accident. Right. Michael grimaced as he rubbed his ass. He'd fallen down that hard floor in games, but it hurt more when a woman causes the injury. "I meant we have to eat first."

Maria's lips formed an oh. And then she blushed.

Michael winked. "It's okay. As long as you kiss it better later." He strode towards one of the gym bags and pulled out take out burgers, onion rings, and coke cans.

"Eeeww. Isn't that where you keep your shoes and socks and the rest of your dirty clothes?"

"This is a new one." At Maria's look of discomfort, he raised his hand up. "Promise."

Maria took the burger and eagerly bit into it. The game had been taxing, and she wouldn't pretend that she wasn't hungry. "Wow. What burger is this?" she asked, with her mouth still full. Screw table manners and etiquette. There wasn't a table, and she had enough of etiquette while she was growing up.

"I like a woman who eats with gusto!" he said. "Hate the girls who think their birds and pick at their food and leave more than half on the plate. Like you didn't blow hundreds of bucks for it. That, Maria, is from the best fastfood in Roswell, the Crashdown Café."

She had never heard about that place before. "I take it you climbed the ladder," she said lightly, curious.

"A damn steep staircase if you ever heard of one. Actually, not even a staircase. I climbed a vertical wall to get here. I still have the calluses to prove it." Maria cocked her head, silently urging him to continue. She was interested in him, and she knew that he wouldn't say all this in a guarded conversation. "I lived in an orphanage til I was six. And then I got passed around foster homes. Finally, I ended up with a drunken bastard who beat the shit out of me," he said simply. "I played basketball when I got the chance. The only reason I stayed in school was to play ball. I got drafted to the professional league, and now that I have more money in my wallet tonight than I even had all the first eighteen years of my life." He smiled at her, but she could see that there was some shadow in that smile. "But still—"

Maria nodded, knowing she didn't really understand, having been born to a family whose oil companies were one of the largest in America. She still pretended like she had an idea what he was talking about. "Still, no matter how much you have, without being greedy, you still think that you can't have enough."

Michael looked at her as though she were heavensent to understand something like that in him, and she felt so fake. She debated about whether or not to tell him just what kind of background she came from, just to make sure that they didn't get their lines crossed. But it wouldn't have been polite to blurt out that she was a multimillionaire from the moment she was conceived, and she was probably worth ever more now.

He picked up her hand and placed a kiss on her wrist. Right at the spot where she had earlier spritzed her thousand dollar perfume in hopes of getting him mad with lust. Maria didn't think her plan was worth it anymore. She would live with the framework that her father had laid out for her life, like it was some stupid destiny forcing her down one straight path, rather than play him like that.

She closed her eyes at the soft brush of his lips. And then the smooth glide of his tongue. Maria shivered when the kiss moved upwards, and he started pulling her, or rather Isabel's, shirt off her body. She was only strong enough. "Maria," he whispered in her ear. "I want you."

Maria moaned when his hands slipped into her shorts. She grabbed his shoulders to keep from falling onto her knees on the hard floor. Keeping his lips on her skin, he pulled a towel from his gym bag. Blearily, she hoped it hadn't been used yet. But if it had, who really cared? He was already sweaty from the game, and so was she.

He kicked the towel open with as much finesse as an elephant in a ceramic shop, but surprisingly enough, the towel spread open smoothly. He laid her down on her back, and covered her body with his. "Have you done this before?"

Maria met his eyes, breathless. "No. I haven't had sex on the first date."

"We're not having sex."

"Could've fooled me," she groaned, clutching at his arms.

"Trust me, Maria. We're not having sex." He kicked his own shorts off. "We're making love, okay? And don't get on my case about it." Maria giggled. This was beyond what she expected. She can't go through with it. But his mouth was driving her insane. As was the hard length of him pressed against her thigh.

She made another decision to stop it. But Michael was reaching into the bag for protection now. She knew she would hate herself for doing what she did next.

Maria placed a hand on his cheek, and kissed the side of his mouth. "You don't have to. I'm okay."

Michael grinned at her and carefully positioned himself between her legs. Maria let his movements guide her, until her legs embraced his hips, and she buried her face into the crook of his neck. He slowly drove inside, and she closed her eyes tightly at the sheer pressure. Before she could stop herself, she bit into his neck. Michael drove inside her and stopped stock still.

"Maria," he said slowly.

"Am I doing something wrong?" she whispered, gritting her teeth. His length inside her hurt.

"No, no, baby. You're perfect," he said softly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" she gasped. She moved her hips to ease the pain, and sucked in her breath at the spark of pleasure that shot up from her core. "Move," she commanded.

He started to slide out of her, and before he was out all the way, he pressed back inside, eliciting another gasp of pleasure from her. "That you… that you're a virgin." The feeling of her, so tight around him, and the knowledge that nobody else had been so deep, so close to her, as he was at that very moment, heightened his senses to the experience.

"I did," she said in response.

"You did not!" he argued, moving rhythmically. He found it weird to be arguing to the woman right in the middle of making love.

"Earlier!" she gasped. "When you asked!"

"You said you haven't had sex on the first date," he replied, his jerking movements getting faster.

Maria couldn't answer for the longest time. Her sight was growing dark at the edges. She tried to catch her breath. "That… was… it!"

"You're impossible!" he told her.

"Ohhhhh." The darkness exploded into a bright white light, and she felt her body contracting around him so tightly, then letting go. She flew so high and kept freefalling into a consciousness beyond the court and beyond Michael. Finally, she opened her eyes to see him tightly close his eyes and work his jaw. "You are," she parried, weary.

He laid his forehead against hers when he came, holding her tightly. Maria watched his face fondly as she felt his hot seed shoot up inside her unprotected. And then she felt cold fear coiling in her stomach. He rolled them over so that she was lying on top of him, her head resting on his chest.

Maria lay on him, catching her breath. It was done, whether or not she regretted it. She closed her legs tightly, hoping fervently, and face the consequences later.

"Did we just fight while we were in the middle of it?" his voice rumbled in his chest. "This is going to be one hell of a relationship, isn't it?"

He expected banter from her. If she could keep parrying while making love, he would find it odd if she suddenly became passive. "You mean I wasn't a one night stand?" she teased.

"Not a chance in hell." He placed a tender kiss on the top of her head.

[center]SOCIETY

Society Girl in Another Kind of Benefit Game?

This reporter spotted a young heiress, who will remain unnamed at this time, leaving an empty astrodome with a notorious ball player renowned for his playboy reputation. Was the society girl, who even now is preparing to settle down with a responsible law student from the same social circle, involved in a whole other kind of benefit? Whatever happened in the court, she now appears impulsive enough to throw a secure future for a whim. [/center]

Part 4

"Did you talk to my dad about moving the wedding back a couple more months?"

Max's deep voice was still thick with sleep when he answered. "Sure I did. The moment you put down the phone yesterday I called your dad."

"What did he say?"

"Well what could he say? He agreed. But I think he's starting to get really suspicious about why we've been postponing it. We've already delayed the wedding date for six months."

Maria nodded. "I'll take care of it. You just keep trying for more time, Max. So can I talk to Liz?"

Maria waited for her assistant's voice. Vaguely she heard the scuffling and murmurs as Liz was shook awake. "Yeah," came the sleepy voice.

Maria licked her lips and settled back down on her own bed, muscles aching in the most pleasant way possible. The night had been amazing, true, but lying down on a hardwood floor took its toll on the back muscles. "I need someone to talk to," she said.

"I'm off the clock," Liz groaned, half teasing. She was tired and she needed to get up early to go to Maria's house anyway. She had tons of arrangements to make for the wedding. "Where's Tess?"

"She wasn't answering her phone."

"Probably because it's 4 am, Maria." Realizing what she said, Liz sat up in bed, covering her bare chest with the sheet. "Did you just get home?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Maria said in a rush. "It happened."

"What happened?" Liz blinked. "Ohhhhh."

"It was amazing, Lizzie! I have never felt so…"

"Sore?"

"Well that," she admitted. "But also… so… I don't know. Complete?" Maria paused for a few seconds. "I think I've made the worst mistake of my life."

"Maria, why? I thought you wanted this to happen. Don't you think it took? You can still probably try for another time with the guy."

The heiress sighed and clutched the phone tight against her ear. "That's the thing, Liz. It's like… it came to the point when I didn't even cry whether or not I was going to get pregnant. I just wanted him."

"I don't blame you. He is that sexy. I saw him play too," Liz pointed out.

"It wasn't that, Liz. I mean even when I saw him looking so hot I just thought it wouldn't have been so awful to have sex with me, and that my son would probably be that attractive when he grew up. Last night, it's like… everything slowly changed while we talked. And I don't know… I didn't even notice the exact time when I just wanted him, not his baby… Just him."

Liz didn't know how to respond to that exactly. Maria hadn't actually trained her to deal with her changing her mind. "Well that's nice," she said lamely.

Maria chuckled. "I'm disturbing you. Get some sleep."

"Look, I'm sorry. Listen if you like the guy then just continue to date him. We'll find some other way to force this engagement off. Two stubborn fathers and one legal contract may be disregarded if you try hard enough," Liz teased lightly. "And no one would be the wiser that you went after Michael Guerin because you wanted to steal his sperm!"

"You suck, Liz," Maria laughed. She pushed the power button of her cordless phone and dropped it on the carpet of her bedroom. She glanced at the wrapped package at the foot of the bed and grinned. Where she was even going to use the Catwoman suit she did not know. It was fun watching Michael try on the Batman though. And that made their little trip to the costume shop worth it.

Isabel frowned when her phone lit up. She was working the graveyard shift at the hospital tonight, and she couldn't think of anyone who would care her at that hour. She saw the name reflected on the screen. Worried about why he would be awake at five in the morning, she answered the call.

"Michael, what's wrong?"

His voice was quiet when he said, "I think I'm in love."

"She's right there beside you and you want her to hear, don't you?" Isabel tested.

"No, Iz. I'm at my pad. Alone. I dropped her off a few minutes ago."

"You're kidding me."

"I'm serious, Isabel. I knew that damn Kyle Valenti would ruin my career. Who would have thought he would actually lend a hand in ruining my entire life too?"

Isabel grabbed onto the counter and sat down heavily on her chair. It was good that the arrival of patients was slow, because she would not have been able to put a call like this down. "Oh no… Michael. I had no idea. So that's why it just never worked out between us," she surmised.

"What you talkin' about, Iz?"

"You're in love with Kyle Valenti," she stated slowly, letting him know that she supported his decision. "I knew there was a reason why you've been so irritated with the guy. And it had to be more than the threat he posed being trained as the next captain."

"Isabel."

"Yes, Michael."

"Have you been taking any of the drugs flowing freely down there?" He exploded, "I'm talking about the girl that came to watch the game, the one that Kyle knew. I think it was a stepsister or something."

"Thank God." Isabel frowned, her beautifully shaped eyebrows curling. "Wait. I think this is worse. You're getting involved?"

"I think so."

"Nooooo! You're only allowed flings, remember? We both are. You don't know if it will be safe to get intense."

"I know that! That's why I had to call you. To let you know."

"So stay away from her. You want me to tell Kyle to hide you from the girl or something? Because I can drop by the next practice and talk to him. You won't have to worry about anything."

Michael scoffed. "Like I'd let that happen. Isabel, I'm calling to let you know and at least get you prepared. So you're not surprised. I'm not asking for help or advice from you."

Isabel saw the head nurse approaching with arms akimbo. They were not supposed to take personal calls in the hospital while on duty. "I gotta go. Ape Queen is moving straight towards me. And… you stupid moron, you knew the rules!" she finished with flair before turning off the phone.

Liz rolled over to face Max on the bed. "Sorry about that."

"Your boss is a slave driver," Max murmured against her hair.

"And your future wife is demanding." Liz smiled.

"Wait. That wasn't funny," Max said. "We're working on getting out of this. You know that."

"Oh I know that so well."

"What do you mean?"

She cuddled closer to her boss' fiancé and said, "Maria's been working overtime on that. Suffice to say that when her father finds out, then your family wouldn't have to worry about a thing."

Max focused on the love bite on Liz's shoulder. He held his hand over it, taking away the mark. Every one knew that Liz was single and available, and a hickey would set tongues wagging. A sharp glow emanated from his hand, and quickly, it was gone. Liz's skin was as clear as it had been that afternoon. He hoped that whatever Maria planned wouldn't put any unwarranted attention on him. "I can't wait to be with you, Liz. Publicly. Whatever she's working on, I hope she succeeds."

Liz's eyes took on a dreamy look as she pictured her future with her savior. Since he healed her when she fell down the stairs in the apartment while Maria was away, and she found out his secret that even Maria didn't know, she knew that Max was her soulmate. And so no matter how hard it was to accept, she settled on the idea that they were never going to have a family. It wasn't safe for them. What if those people looking for him found out that they were having children?

She drifted off to sleep in Max's arms. A fleeting thought teased her mind, about what would happen if Maria did conceive, and people suspected that it was Max's… But she was too sleepy, and the idea was lost in the fog of her dream.

Maria's phone rang about thirty minutes after she dropped it onto the carpet. She still hadn't fallen asleep even thought she was exhausted. Thinking it was her assistant calling back with saner advice, she raised the receiver to her ear.

"Lizzie."

"No," came the voice she still remembered making her shiver. It apparently had the same effect over the phone as it did in person. "It's me."

"Hey Michael. Couldn't sleep either?"

"Missing you too much," he answered easily. "So since neither of us are getting some rest, why don't I pick you up for breakfast in thirty?"

Maria broke into a huge smile. "But you just dropped me off."

"Don't worry. I have enough gas for the round trip." Michael closed his eyes and rested his head back on the headboard of the bed. "Just change your clothes and I'll swing by."

"I'm not wearing Catwoman though."

"You can wear nothing if you want."

Maria was laughing when she turned off the call. With muscles of her legs and arms protesting, Maria stumbled to the bathroom for a quick shower. She still had to look her best for the guy.

Part 5

She ran down the steps of her apartment and met Michael outside. He was wearing a heavy jacket to keep the cold out. Like him, Maria decided to wear a warm coat. When she approached him, he immediately pulled her close to his side and wrapped a firm arm around her shoulders. It was the only way they could keep their body heat in.

"We must be insane to go out this early!" she laughed.

They walked briskly to the closest small coffee shop. Starbucks was too risky, Maria decided. A lot of tabloid shots were taken when people were going out of Starbucks. Tess was once followed by paparazzi to a local Starbucks when she was dating a small time actor. She was glad that Michael seemed to know that. Not that he cared really. She knew from Kyle that he and his dates were usually news in tabloids.

"I'm thinking you don't wanna have your face splashed in the front page," Michael said, "so we'll go somewhere smaller."

"Good idea."

Michael grinned down at her. "Of course, now that I'm seeing more of you, you'll have to deal with a stray picture here and there, okay? I know you're not used to lights flashing on your face, and I'd keep them away if you want, but sometimes it's easier to just let them take the picture and go about your business."

She bit her lip. That was going to be bad. She couldn't let her father suspect her activities before she even thought of another way to break off the engagement. "No! No pictures, Michael." At least he would think that it was because she wasn't used to notoriety or attention.

"Don't tell me you don't get followed with Valenti."

Maria shook her head. Usually, when they were hounded, they only followed Kyle. The type of press interested in her own activities were often less aggressive. "I just… let's keep this low profile."

He pulled her into the small coffee shop and tucked her into a corner booth. A waitress attended their table, and he ordered two large breakfasts for the two of them. When they were alone, he turned to Maria. "You do know that sooner or later people will find out? It's not so bad. If it doesn't work out, you get to write a book bashing me and earn mucho bucks."

But Maria's gaze had wandered to the rack of newspapers and magazines behind him. He was her face twisted almost comically. He craned his neck to see. And then he took the tabloid exposed to her. "You actually believe in this crap." The headline read 'ALIEN CAVE DISCOVERED OUTSIDE ROSWELL.'

"No!" she chuckled. And then she took the paper and laid it on the table. She pointed to the insert. It was a small snapshot of Valenti giving him a congratulatory pat on the butt after last week's victory. "Guerin-Valenti Tension Solved."

"This is where Iz got the idea," he groaned.

"You know you should introduce me to Isabel."

"And they actually think that an alien cave is bigger news than the sexual tension between Valenti and me?"

"Hypocrite!" she swatted him with the paper. "You love all the media."

"No publicity is bad publicity," he rationalized.

The two awoke early. Liz started their breakfast since Max still had an early meeting to attend to at the law firm. She piled the pancakes on a plate and placed them in front of her lover.

Max smiled gratefully and poured a thick mixture of maple syrup and Tabasco, a ready condiment that Liz had shelved for him.

When Max did not say anything, Liz frowned. He was usually talkative in the mornings, to the extent that she couldn't stop him. "Max, is there something bothering you?"

His eyes, which had been out of focus as he stared off in space, slowly honed in on her face. "Nothing that should bother you, Liz."

"Well… is it about work?" she prodded.

"No. Work is fine."

"Is it about Maria's dad?"

"He's the same as before."

"Is it… an alien thing?" He was silent. "Max, I already know about you remember? That means you're welcome to share your concerns with me. Finally, you're not alone in this."

He released a sigh and took her hand in his. "There's no concrete problem to share, Liz. It's just that lately, I've been afraid… or nervous… or concerned… I really can't place how I feel." When her lips opened to respond, he continued, "There are others out there."

Liz started. He had told her that as far as he knew, he was alone. And she had accepted it. But the idea that there were people like him walking around, having capabilities like he did…

"And I don't know if they're dangerous or not," he stated simply.

They stared at each other for the longest time. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Liz jumped off her chair. She looked at the door and then back at Max. It was six am. "Who would drop by this early?" she whispered, afraid.

Max stood up and held a restraining hand towards Liz. "I'll open the door."

"No!" she whispered furiously. "What if it's Mr. De Luca and he sees you here?"

"Why would Nate De Luca knock on his daughter's personal assistant's door early in the morning?"

"I don't know," Liz argued. "It's possible!"

Max shook his head, but Liz had already crept to the door. "Who is it?" she called out.

They held their breaths until a sweet voice replied, "Hey Lizzie. It's Tess!"

Liz looked at Max again, puzzled. She opened the door. "What are you doing here, Tess? Maria isn't really here."

"I'm looking for Max, Liz. May I speak with him about the wedding?" she said brightly. "And good morning by the way. I hope you had a fun night."

Liz blushed hotly and allowed her to step in. She stammered, "I'm going to take a bath and change."

Tess waved her off with a big smile. When Liz finally left them alone, Tess' demeanor took a sudden change. The brightness left her face and she looked at Max tiredly. "I'm so weary of all of this, Max," she said.

He sat down in front of her and took her hands in his. "I wish I could help. But I can't, Tess. This is who we are."

She chuckled without humor. "You mean this is what we are." She allowed him to comfort her with an embrace. "Max, I want to be involved with someone," she said quietly. "I want to have what you have with Liz."

"We have to be careful," he said firmly. "Can you protect him if they come for us?"

She pulled away and met his eyes. "Max, I'm better at playing human than you are," she told him. "You have people watching you. And nobody suspects me. You blew your cover. I still haven't. And though I thank you for not spilling my secret to Liz when you did yours, I still think I do a better job hiding than you do."

"Can't you wait a little while more before looking for someone, Tess? Until we know more about this presence I'm sensing around us."

She shook her head. "I need to be with someone, Max. It's an integral part of being alive. I can't keep pretending I'm not really alive. When the two of us got adopted to these wonderful and wealthy families, we thought it was all better for us. And it is. It is so amazing that so many children have no homes and the two of us get the best. But I need more now, Max."

"What about the others, Tess? What about the presence I feel now? How will you deal when they threaten whoever it is you choose to spend the rest of your life with?"

"I'll deal with them," she told him, determined. "It won't be long. I feel them now too. They're close by."

"What do you mean?"

"At the game we attended, Max. I felt a strong presence. I don't know if it felt me. I didn't feel threatened."

He narrowed his eyes and looked down at his clenched fist. "Or it could be following Maria. The damn news articles about the two of us… They might use her to get to me."

"Or they might not be the enemy."

"Either way, be careful," he advised her. "I'm going to make sure Liz stays aware of everything around her. They don't know yet that I'm involved with Liz, but I'll ask her to watch around her. Especially when she's with Maria. I have to know if there's an alien following Maria."

Liz stepped back into the room drying her hair with a towel. "So Tess, want some breakfast?"

Tess stood up and shook her head. "I'm off to pick out the best flowers to go into the centerpieces! And the best flowers are out this early. I gotta go canvass."

"Will you quit following me?" Maria laughed when Michael bumped into her back. "You are so irritating!"

They had been dating actively for three months, and she was thanking her lucky stars that they hadn't been featured anywhere yet. She was in dread everyday that she would wake up with newspaper banners screaming about their involvement. For the first couple of months, she debated whether or not to just get this over with and either break up with him or tell her father. But they could think of way to accomplish the break up without hurting Max's family. Nate De Luca was stubborn like that.

In fact, if she were really honest with herself, the first reason why a break up would not work was because Michael's hands on her were titillating. From the first moment she saw how his long, lean fingers gripped the basketball, she had been warned. Once she lost herself to his touch, there was no going back.

"Well what can I do if you're a slow walker?"

"Like walk beside me instead of tailing me," Maria retorted lightly.

"Awww, M'ria, we have to hurry. I promised Isabel I'll finally introduce you to her and her schedule's really tight."

Maria smirked at her boyfriend. Other girlfriends would have been horrified at how eager their partners were to get them to meet an ex. But Michael had told her once about his days in the foster homes with Isabel, who like him had also been found abandoned in the New Mexico desert at a young age. Since they have been found, the two have been closer than siblings, and she would not take that away from him just because once upon a time, two lost souls decide to try dating. "I know, I know. She's the noble nurse. I'm hurrying!"

The two of them arrived in the hospital lobby to find Isabel leafing through a magazine in the waiting room. The tall blonde immediately stood up and embraced Michael. And then she turned to Maria with bright twinkling eyes and hugged her too. "It's so great to finally meet you!" she greeted.

"You too," Maria replied warmly. "I've been wearing your spare clothes for so long that the three months we haven't met seems so wrong!"

Michael watched the two women who were most important to him chatter about his many faults and misgivings. "What time does your shift start?" he asked.

Isabel looked up at the hospital clock and frowned. "Oh, time flew by so fast!" she exclaimed. She smiled apologetically at Maria. "I'm on call in a few. And I still have to change into my uniform."

"It's alright," Maria assured her new friend. "Michael told me already about your schedule. That's the reason he used to keep me away for so long," she kidded. "Why don't you go on ahead?"

Isabel nodded and glanced at Michael. "Hey can you help me haul this box to the elevator?"

Michael glanced at Maria, who waved at him and picked up a magazine. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he told her.

When he lifted the box sitting beside Isabel, his eyebrows shot up. Looking at his ex questioningly, he fell into step beside her. As soon as they were out of Maria's earshot, Isabel started, "I had to get you away for a bit."

"And you had to have me carry an empty box instead of just asking me to go with you for a private conversation?"

Isabel gave him an uncomfortable smile. "I didn't know if you were bringing a bitch," she defended.

"Well I told you Maria was amazing."

"Like I would believe that you were not thinking with Little Michael over there!"

Michael chuckled. "That comment just goes to show just how far we went. You never got anywhere near it."

Isabel laughed. "Riiiight… He's not so little, huh? So you say."

He mocked turning back to his girlfriend. "I'll get Maria to prove it to you."

Her jaw dropped in horror. Isabel automatically grabbed his shirt. "Ohhhh shuuuddup!" The two of them stopped in front of the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. "Look," she started in a hushed voice, "I've been researching, Michael. About us."

"Researching what?"

"Well don't you want to know what we are? I've been looking through the myths of the area, trying to find out if we've just got magical powers or we're part of a weird bloodline." When Michael looked disbelieving, Isabel narrowed her eyes. "Unlike you, Michael, I want to be able to know what I am before getting involved or anything. Come on. Aren't you curious? Maybe what you are will affect Maria."

He sighed and dropped the empty box on the floor. "Fine, Iz. What did you find out?"

"That's it. There's no bigger myth in the area than the alien one."

Michael's lips twitched in an effort to suppress his laughter. "Aliens. We're aliens. Okay."

The ding of the elevator signaled the end of the conversation. "Fine," she said. "Don't believe me. But if I find out anything else, I so won't tell you." She stepped in and Michael waved her off. "Be like that. Don't care."

"Awww, come on, Izzy," he said as the doors closed. He shook his head, still finding Isabel's theory a little funny. Sure, he was an alien. He had been an alien since he had been drafted to play in the New Mexico team. But an alien from outer space… Maybe she really had sniffed someone else's medication.

He found Maria closely looking at a page from a wedding magazine, and he didn't know exactly why his heart raced at the sight. "Hey."

She looked up at him and gave him a brilliant smile. And then she saw the direction his eyes were looking at. Maria hastily tucked the magazine underneath all the other ones and stood up. His arm immediately went over her shoulders. "So Isabel got the package up?"

"Yep. Where we heading now?"

"Now," Maria told him, "we part. You have practice and don't you dare deny it!"

"How did you know?" He would have pouted if there were no people looking at him, fans who recognized him as a basketball star.

"Kyle," she answered matter-of-factly.

"Of course. Where should I drop you off?"

Where was Liz when you needed her? Oh right. She had sent her assistant on a day off because she had an appointment with Michael today. "Can you drive me to Liz's place? I think we have some things to attend to today." She tried to remember what appointment she was scheduled for. Oh. Right. She was meeting with her accountant and friend Alex. Maria settled in closer against Michael as they stepped into the parking lot. Seeing a man standing outside with a camera, Maria drew out her handkerchief and pretended that she was covering her face from the smoke and fumes coming from the passing cars.

He felt Maria cuddle closer to him, and Michael absently brushed a kiss on top of her head. The flash caught him unaware. He hadn't seen the photographer at the parking area. Normally, he would stand still and allow him all the shots he wanted, but when he saw how Maria had covered her face with her handkerchief, he realized that she did not want photos of her taken. Maria never really was fussy about the air outside. So he just tightened her jacket around her and hurried with her to his car.

[center]NEW MEXICO INFORMER

Guerin Seen With Mystery Woman Leaving Hospital

Basketball star Michael Guerin has been spotted sneaking out of the Roswell General Hospital with an unknown woman. The reason for the visit is still undetermined, although at the peak season of the game, fans are worried that Guerin may have an injury or illness that will keep him out of the hard court.

Sources inside the hospital though assure this paper that Michael Guerin seemed hale and hearty while inside, even doing favors for the nursing staff by fetching and carrying for them. That leaves the paper to conclude that whatever brought the star to the hospital has to do with the woman tucked under his arm.

Did the hoop king of New Mexico do the nasty and found himself ensnared? It well may be. The photographer noticed the uncharacteristic way that Guerin fled from the camera when in all other days, the player would pose together with any of his dates. Who is the mystery woman? The series of photographs depicting Guerin and the woman running from the hospital exit to his car that follows this article is exclusive to the Informer. [/center]

Part 6

Alex Whitman tapped a merry rhythm with his fingers on his desk as he reviewed the paperwork he was sending out. Roswell, New Mexico may have been as unexciting as sifted flour but life was full of surprises. And he had the surprise of a lifetime bump into him at the supermarket check out line during lunch.

He had been staring at this gorgeous blonde surreptitiously. There were obvious bags under her eyes, but otherwise, she was flawless. He hadn't been expecting her to glance his way and exclaim, "Alex Whitman!"

"Ummm," Alex mumbled. "Yeah. Do I know you?"

"It's me, silly! Isabel Stevens."

His face had cleared and he nodded his head. Isabel had been his dream since puberty. He couldn't believe that he wasn't able to recognize her that close. Probably because in high school, he never got that close to her. "Hey! How are you? Late night huh?" Of course. She must have had a wonderful date with a billionaire.

"Oh. Yeah." She gave this shy laugh he never thought he'd hear from her. Isabel never had any reason to be embarrassed. "I got the graveyard shift at General."

"Ummm.. what?" Alex couldn't keep the red flush from his face. A general. That was impressive. And there was a graveyard shift? How many girls was this general seeing? And above all, how can he keep up his stamina long enough for girls to actually take shifts.

"Roswell General. I'm a nurse! But you wouldn't know that, of course. I heard you're an elite accountant. Just the rich and famous, right?"

He wanted to ram his head on the check out aisle for thinking evil thoughts. It was probably just brought about by the fact that that was one of his geeky fantasies when he was younger. To have Isabel actually fawn over him… Or even say "Good morning."

"Right, a nurse." He chuckled. The cashier was tallying his purchases. "I never thought. That's a very noble profession, Isabel."

"Yeah. Nobody imagined. I know… I was very lame in high school. Real life taught me a lot of things. You never know what you'll discover when you actually see a person die, and even more when you watch a baby being born. I've got all the value a person would ever need right in each hospital room."

He had found a new admiration for Isabel right at that moment. And Alex stuffed being shy and actually asked her to dinner. To his chagrin, Isabel had turned his down. He must not have changed a lot since high school, despite the big bucks he was raking in.

"It's just that my shift starts at six tonight. I would have loved to, Alex."

"Oh we'll have a very early dinner!" he offered, grabbing any chance he could to spend an hour basking in the beauty that was Isabel.

It had been the reason why for the first time in his long career as a certified public accountant, Alex Whitman needed to reschedule his appointment with a client. Liz had been pretty curious considering she had been a high school friend, but didn't press too much since she had in fact called to reschedule Maria's own appointment with him. So now here he was, past office hours, happily reading through Maria De Luca's finance files.

He looked up at the cheery greeting of "Alex!" He stood up and hugged his client and friend. Following her, with sparkling dark eyes, was Liz Parker. "I hope you don't mind working overtime for me."

"Not at all," he said smoothly. "On your account, they give me double the usual OT pay."

"Good to know you're being taken care of," Maria told him. Liz took a seat and placed her folders on top of Alex's desk.

"So what can I do for you today?"

A huge smile broke in Maria's face. "I want us to start taking care of that trust fund."

Alex's eyebrows rose in surprise. "So… Congratulations are in order?"

The blonde nodded happily. Liz grinned at Alex. "We got the results this afternoon," the brunette informed their friend. "Maria was beyond ecstatic."

"You do remember that I don't approve of this, don't you?"

"Oh Alex, it's going to be fine. I'm not Amy," Maria assured him. "I'm so much stronger than that." Alex was still frowning as he did as he was asked, and retrieved the files that he and Maria had worked on. To brighten up the mood, she laid a hand on his and said, "And it's so much different now. Alex, I'm in love. This entire charade actually is a good thing. I went out looking to get knocked up," she joked, "and I found a soulmate."

Seeing the earnest look in her eyes, he cracked a smile. "Well that's really going to go well with Nate."

"My father is close-minded, Alex. It would take a huge bat to ram some sense into his skull."

"And this bat is huge enough to do that," Alex finished for her. "I know you both don't think that it's fair to Max, but he agreed to this deal with your dad. Nate saved the Evans' company and he agrees that you two will never have a kid. I've seen the contract, Maria, and it's all black and white."

Liz shook her head. "Max doesn't know what he really wants. I mean… their future was at stake. And who knows if he'll eventually change his mind in the long run. You can't—you can't seal his future just like that!"

"Hey, easy, Parker! Breathe! I'm not Nate De Luca." Alex raised his hands in surrender. "And I don't know. Max Evans seemed really firm that he had no plans or desire to spawn his junior."

"Max is confused," Liz retorted. She would eventually convince him that it was only paranoia that made him overly concerned that a child of his would be green with beady eyes and tentacles.

"Hey!" Maria looked back and forth at Liz and Alex. "Let's get back to my business. Alex is still on the clock and this session will cost me big," she teased. "Are those the papers?"

"Yup." He handed her the folder. "Just sign each page, Maria. I've read through it and the bank has prepared for all your specifications." She gratefully accepted the. "I do have one question."

"Shoot," came the automatic reply while she read through the first page.

"Look at me." When she did, Alex nodded and continued, "If you're so sure that you don't have Amy's… problems… then why are you setting up an account like this for the kid? If you're determined to stay around, Maria, you're going to give the papers back to me and let me feed them to the paper shredder."

Maria's lips curved. "One can never be too prepared."

The accountant shook his head in disgust at the answer. "I hate handling morbid accounts!" he complained.

[center]SOCIETY

Top Designers Vie for De Luca-Evans Nuptials

The world's top couturiers strut their stuff in a bidding cum fashion show for the De Lucas and Evanses in the Ferreira. From a traditional pristine white gown with a ten foot train to a nouveau cut of simple pastel tube top and mini skirt, designers wow those in attendance with ideas for the design that will carry the entire bridal entourage.

The De Lucas are rumored to have opted for a rumored $850,000 off white bridal gown creation with small diamonds lining the square neckline, a design by a Belgian group of artists.

Details on the final decision will be made available as soon as official. A fashion plate sketch of the gown will be provided tomorrow.[/center]

"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. De Luca."

Nate nodded and settled back in the chair comfortably. "Why would I deny my future son-in-law an appointment?"

Max nodded hesitantly. "Maria asked me to drop by and ask you if all the media is really necessary. She doesn't feel comfortable seeing our faces in the newspapers everyday."

Nate tossed his fountain pen on top of the desk. Max vaguely wondered how the ink managed not to spill. Of course, the ink probably was too scared of Nate De Luca to even dare seep out. "I know it must be a little difficult for her, Max. But it comes with the territory. The press is eating up every detail. And any company can use the free publicity. Even this one does, despite its monopoly in the region."

"I'll be sure to tell her that," he murmured.

"Besides, she's been in the public eye since she was a baby. I thought she would have learned by now."

"In the public eye, true. But never like this. She really can't even attend some of her classes because people are following her around, sir."

"I'll assign a bodyguard."

"Won't be very appreciated."

Nate shook his head. "I have a stubborn daughter, don't I?"

Max smiled with sincere affection. "True. I think she learned it from being independent."

"Well I'm sure you can handle her, my boy!" Nate slapped Max on his shoulder. "So have you two decided where you want to go for your honeymoon?"

"Not yet, sir," Max replied uncomfortably.

"Wherever it is, just inform my secretary so she can make the arrangements. You two are going to be very happy. I just know it. I can't wait to see the beautiful children you're going to adopt." There was a flicker of uneasiness in Max's eyes that Nate immediately saw and latched on. "I'm counting on you, Max. Don't back out on the deal. My daughter is too important to me. I went through hell with Amy. I won't let her go through that too."

[center]SOCIETY

Adolf Razier Wins De Luca-Evans Wedding Contract

Concrete wedding plans for the happy couple Maria De Luca and Maxwell Evans are underway as Nate De Luca signs a deal that would not only earn Adolf Razier a cool preliminary six million dollars but also a place in American fashion industry.

Maria De Luca's bridal gown is taffeta, silk and satin overlay. The bodice, which is encrusted with gems, immediately refutes the original theory of 850 grand, the initial guess of insiders who thought that only the neckline was lined. The Adolf Razier group agreed to a small request by Ms De Luca to shorten the ten-foot train—a practical decision to keep the deal. [/center]

Part 7

Exhausted from basketball practice, Michael fumbled with his lock before finally stumbling into the living room. He dropped his gym bag at the center of the room and took off his shirt, discarding it on the couch. He went over to the refrigerator and looked inside. Finding no food, he went straight to his bedroom. There had been a half-eaten sandwich on his bedside table, left when he hurried over to Maria's when she called earlier, saying that she wasn't feeling well. When he looked at the spot where the food was supposed to be, he was surprised to find the space empty.

The reason for the mini-raid lay sleeping on the center of the bed. Michael approached her carefully and tucked a blonde lock behind her ear. He picked up the cordless phone she had placed right beside her so any call would wake her up and dialed the pizza place down the street. He kissed her temple and decided to lie down beside her while he waited. She murmured and pressed close to him. Maria slept like a rock. He briefly thought about how easy it would be in the future to sneak off a marital bed to watch a game. She would never know. And then his body reacted to the softness against his and almost cursed. That was her strategy! She may not act like a fishwife and order him to forget the game, but she would unconsciously use sex and his own desires against him. It was even more scheming because she didn't really know she was controlling him. Michael shook his head.

When the doorbell rang, he had almost forgotten about the pizza. He picked up his wallet from the table and frowned when he saw that he had only large bills left. He sighed and gingerly fished for Maria's purse to break a hundred.

"What the hell," he muttered when a long visa and credit card jacket hung down from the leather wallet. He quickly glanced through each one. Gold and platinum memberships to the country's largest banks, memberships that required hundred thousand bonds. She even had the chic new Citicard that was availed only through a half million dollar deposit.

He searched his brain for that niggling thought about her name. He knew he had seen it somewhere before, but had put it in the back of his mind because for all the people in America, you were bound to share the same name with a few. Then his eyes landed on the broadsheet newspaper lying on the floor. He usually picked the sports section and the front page and set aside the rest.

Michael quickly scanned the pages, not knowing what he was looking for. Finally, he landed on the local news section on the New Mexico Zoo. And there she was, playing with a chimpanzee, with a dark guy standing behind her. 'Socialite Contributes Funding for Zoo Rehabilitation.'

He starts at the feeling of her hand closing over his wrist. He drops the paper down and turns to her. "Michael, there's someone at the door."

He'd forgotten about the poor delivery guy. He nodded and took his hundred dollar bill and went to get the pizza. "Sorry for waiting. Keep the change," he said, distracted by his discovery.

He went back to the bedroom with the pizza in hand. He placed it on the table and handed a slice to Maria, who was looking at him oddly. And then Michael took a piece for himself. "Is something wrong Michael?"

He bit into his pizza and frowned at the blandness. He was bothered, she could tell. "You tell me."

Maria shook her head. "You can tell me anything."

"That's the same for you. Want to tell me something important that you neglected to tell me?"

"Michael, what's this about?" She hesitantly reached for him, but he stood up.

"You're slumming."

"What?"

He picked up the paper, and Maria's heart stopped. "You have something to tell me." He threw the paper beside her on the bed. Maria anxiously dropped her gaze to the article and sighed in relief. There was nothing in that article about her engagement to Max Evans, although he was in the picture with her. For the purpose of the event, Max was nothing more than an appendage. The Evanses weren't really in the same circle as the De Lucas were.

"You're angry that I was part of an animal protection foundation?" she said, raising her eyebrow.

"No, Maria! Dammit. You're slumming with me. You're some bored society girl who's finding some sort of kick sleeping with someone like me!"

"You're not exactly a peasant, Michael," she retorted.

"That's not what this is about, Maria, and you know it! I know all about stupid bets you girls make. What was I worth, Maria—a Silver Ghost?"

He looked so pissed and appalled that Maria burst out in a fit of giggles. "Oh my God, Michael! Have you been watching 80s movies? I don't need a stupid Rolls Royce and you were not a bet. That's like Cruel Intentions or something." Calming down a bit, Maria reached for Michael and pulled him towards her on the bed. "This wasn't a bet. This was me falling in love with you. Okay?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were…" If he said rich he would have sounded petty. So he decided on the smoothest way to put it. "This," he said, pointing to the newspaper beside them.

Maria's smile faded. She truly wanted to tell him everything, but while she was still unable to fix it so that Max wouldn't take the blame, she was confined to a few facts to share. "Would it have made a difference?"

Michael held her eyes for a few moments, almost like he was searching for something. And then he rested his forehead against hers. "Let's eat."

[center]SPORTS

Aliens Rest After Three Peat

After the third straight win, the New Mexico Aliens rest in the season's round robin. They are expected to go against whoever racks up the most wins in the next few games for the championship cup. The defending champions will most likely face one of the leading teams. A quick look through the win-loss numbers point avid followers towards the formidable New York Rockstars. [/center]

Maria memorized the planes of her lover's face, softer now in sleep. She could still feel the terror that paralyzed her tonight, when she thought it was finally over. She really had to fix this. The betrayal flickering behind the sadness in Michael's eyes a while ago almost took her breath away. She supposed that being who he was, he had been exposed to a lot of those stupid, vapid bitches.

Her hands stilled on Michael's cheek. With the way she started this relationship, she was actually one of those stupid, vapid bitches. Given, she had fallen in love with him instantly, but his suspicions were to an extent correct. She really had cruel intentions when it began. But whatever those were immediately faded. She had to do some major damage control. She could think of only one thing that would be perfect. Away from all the manipulations and public eye, she'll make sure that Michael knew he was loved.

She picked up the phone lying beside them and dialed her assistant's number.

On the other side of town, Liz gingerly lifted the heavy arm lying across her stomach and answered the phone. "Liz Parker," the rather suspiciously perky so late at night at voice greeted. "Oh hey Maria! Two? For this weekend? No. No problem. Sure. I can do that."

Liz hung up the phone and shook the man beside her awake. "Hey," he said, frowning at being jarred from his rest.

"Guess what?" she said with a grin. "You're going to be free this weekend."

Max rubbed his eyes. "What? No. Maria and I have to attend to an endless freakshow of designs and cake samples and all that stuff."

The brunette shook her head. "Nope. Maria's going to be out of the country. She needs a break. That was her on the line and she wants me to make arrangements," Liz informed her boss' fiancé, effectively leaving out the part that Maria was leaving with Michael Guerin. According to Maria, Max was a lot safer from her father if he knew less.

"Really then?" Max replied, grabbing hold of Liz's upper arms. "Then what am I going to do for my suddenly vacant two days?"

"I have no idea." Liz giggled. Max's phone beeped twice, and Liz groaned when Max reached for it. "It's just a text message, Max," she complained. "Leave it. If it's important, they'll call!"

Max dropped the mobile and returned to his lover's arms.

Tess sighed heavily and put out her cigarette on the tray beside the bed. The white sheet of the motel room was tucked over her breasts. She looked down at Kyle Valenti snoring beside her. She glanced at her phone again and saw that the screen was clear. Fine. If Max was going to ignore it, then so be it. At least she informed him. That was the least she could do anyway. And Kyle had waited long enough.

She picked up her bag and took the cologne bottle. She spritzed it around her to remove the smell of cigarette smoke. Pasting a happy smile on her face, she shook Kyle awake.

"Hey babe," he murmured.

"I thought you were like… an athlete," Tess said lightly.

"Ummm, I'm not like an athlete, Tess. I am an athlete."

"Then why are you out cold after one round?" The words lit Kyle up like an overly adorned Christmas tree.

He kicked the blankets down and took the challenge, not noticing the way that Tess' usual bright smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Man, Tessie, you were definitely worth the wait!"

Part 8

Max Evans sighed and massaged his temples with firm fingers. He arched an eyebrow at Liz, who sat in front of him shaking her head. Once again, he looked down at the tabloid in his hands and wondered how in heaven's name he was going to spin this. And Nate. Nate De Luca was going to be after his ass for this. The old man had inquired about his daughter over the weekend and Max informed him that Maria was having fun with Tess in the mall.

"Liz, what am I going to tell them? Did Maria leave any sort of plan of how to handle anything like this?"

Liz bit her lip in frustration. "No. She wanted to leave in such a hurry that she didn't exactly give specifics, Max."

"Maybe we can claim that it's not Maria. It's her look-alike." Max tossed the paper on the table and looked intently on the faces. That figure, the hair, the posture, the smile—everything about the woman in the picture was his fiancé. "Who's this guy anyway? Maria doesn't pick up strangers."

Liz opened her mouth to answer, but remembered that Max was not supposed to know. Quickly, she glanced at the blurred pictures and crossed her fingers that Max would not figure it out. Max was a business after all. He never did do all those testosterone-charged pastimes that other males did.

"What the—I know this guy!" Max muttered. "I've seen him before."

Liz closed her eyes and prayed that Max was not going to remember.

"I've seen this guy with Kyle." Ah. He looked at the caption again and related Kyle with the name. "Maria is sleeping with a New Mexico Alien?" Max exclaimed. "Is she insane? Why couldn't she find someone who's not popular so she doesn't turn two times the cameras on them?" Max shook his head in disbelief and stared at the pictures again. "The Alien Captain?!" he cried again.

"She is?" Liz gasped, opening her eyes wide to get as far away from the blame as she could.

"Liz," Max said warningly. "Did you know she was dating this basketball player? Of course you did," he came to his own conclusion. And then the truth dawned on him. "You were the one who booked them that vacation."

Liz took a deep breath and batted her pretty brown eyes at her lover. Max would never stay mad at her if she frequently reminded him about just how lovely she was. "Max," she drawled, "Maria needed my help. She fell in love," she said by way of explanation. "Just like I did with you."

"Liz, this is going to drive Nate insane!"

She leaned over the table and reached out to tug at his necktie. "I know you can get around this, Max. You always could."

Max reluctantly pulled away and stood up. "I need to go and face the music. Stay in here. Reporters might recognize you as Maria's assistant. We already have this potential scandal. I don't need the added one of people finding out that America's sweetheart Maria De Luca's fiancé and PA are having an affair."

When Max walked out of the door, Liz picked up the paper and opened it to the page where a short article was printed. She was glad that Max became incensed enough about Michael Guerin pulling the strings of Maria's bikini open that he never bothered to read the words.

[center] STEAMY HOLIDAY FOR ALIEN AND HEIRESS

Snapshots taken of heiress Maria De Luca and superstar cager Michael Guerin raises rumors about a relationship between the two to fever pitch. In a remote Pacific island where anonymity is the key to rest, a freelance photographer captured imaged of the two in the heat of passion.

During the last few months, Michael Guerin has been rumored to have been landed by an unknown blonde woman whom he had successfully kept hidden from the public scrutiny. Could the mystery woman be Maria De Luca?

Maria De Luca, on the other hand, is still engaged to be married to family friend Max Evans in the grandest wedding of the century. Is the bachelorette having one last wild fling before tying the know?[/center]

Liz tossed the paper on the table again. This was going to kill Maria, not to mention the dent it will put in Kyle and Michael's relationship.

She picked up the remote control and turned on the television. Knowing Max Evans and his propensity to keep things under control, he was likely clearing up the situation by now. Just as she had predicted, Max's pretty face lit up the television screen as he made his statement to the press.

"It is clear from the photographs that they have been tampered with. The head is not proportional to the body," he said. Liz picked up the newspaper again and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the way Maria's head was attached to the rest of her body. Max was talking crazy, but he was grave enough that the reporters were hushed as they listened. "My fiancé is with her very close friend Tess Harding at this moment. Maria De Luca does not even know the player in question although she may have encountered him once or twice because of her relationship with Mr. Guerin's teammate Kyle Valenti."

"Mr. Evans, is the wedding still on?"

Max gave a sparkling grin to the one who asked the question. "Maria and I are deeply in love and the wedding will push through as scheduled."

Although the words stung Liz like a mutated bee would, she shrugged off Max's comments easily because it was the spin that would save their collective butts.


End file.
